A consumer advisory for Ozark County Sorghum has been issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Johnson County Public Health Department, and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA). Lab tests conducted on the sorghum have revealed that the product has extremely high nitrate levels. The product was made by Ozark Country Sorghum in Dunnegan, Missouri.
Sorghum is a sweetener that is made from the sorghum plant. It is similar to molasses and is made from crushed stalks of the plant. Sorghum is thinner than molasses and has a more sour taste. Sorghum is often used to prepare infant formulas and toddler foods.
DIA Food and Consumer Safety Bureau Chief said in a statement that high nitrate levels "can be hazardous especially if consumed by infants and children." Two … [Read more...]

The McDonald's Fresh Express Salad cyclospora outbreak has grown again, according to the FDA. As of August 23, 2018, 507 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis were reported in people who ate salads served at McDonald's restaurants. Those sickened live in 15 states and New York City.
The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (99), Illinois (273), Indiana (9), Kentucky (8), Michigan (2), Minnesota (11), Missouri (52), Nebraska (5), New York City (1), Ohio (15), South Dakota (18), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1). The patients in Connecticut, New York City, Tennessee, Virginia, and Florida purchased McDonald's salads in other states. Twenty-four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick.
FDA is reviewing distribution and … [Read more...]

At least 395 people are now sick in the McDonald's cyclospora outbreak that is linked to that company's salads produced by Fresh Express. Those sickened live in 15 states. Sixteen people have been hospitalized because they are so ill.
The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (87), Illinois (202), Indiana (1), Kentucky (6), Michigan (2), Minnesota (8), Missouri (47), Nebraska (5), Ohio (13), South Dakota (11), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (8). The patients in Connecticut, Tennessee, and Virginia bought the salads while they are traveling in Illinois. The patient living in Florida purchased a McDonald's salad in Kentucky.
On July 26, 2018, the FDA completed an analysis of an unused package of romaine lettuce and carrot mix that was distorted to … [Read more...]

The multistate Hy Vee Salmonella outbreak linked to Hy-Vee Spring Pasta Salads has grown to include 79 people in 9 states, according to the CDC. The salad was recalled on July 17, 2018. The salad contains shell pasta, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green pepper, onion, and mayonnaise. Officials have not yet determined which component of the salad is contaminated with the pathogenic bacteria in this Hy Vee Salmonella outbreak.
Fifty-eight more ill persons have been added to this outbreak count since the last update on July 18, 2018. Four more states reported ill people: Illinois, Kansas, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
The main outbreak strain of bacteria in this outbreak is Salmonella Sandiego. Salmonella enteric subspecies IIIb has been added to this investigation because two people … [Read more...]

The cyclospora outbreak that is linked to McDonald's salads keeps on growing. Now at least 286 people in 15 states are sick. Eleven people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. That is an increase of 123 more patients in the last week. McDonald's cyclospora lawsuits have been and will continue to be filed on behalf people who are sick through no fault of their own. This microscopic parasite can cause debilitating illness that can last for weeks or months and can recur.
The CDC has listed the case count by state in this outbreak. They are: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (80), Illinois (123), Indiana (2) Kentucky (6), Michigan (1), Minnesota (8), Missouri (30), Nebraska (5), Ohio (11), South Dakota (11), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (5). The patients … [Read more...]

This has been the summer of cyclospora outbreaks. As of today, July 26, 2018, at least 400 people have been sickened in outbreaks that are linked to two products: Del Monte Vegetable Trays and McDonald's salads.
In the Del Monte outbreak, those sickened live in four states. The case count by state is: Michigan (2), Iowa (7), Minnesota (56) and Wisconsin (172). Seven of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so ill. Del Monte recalled the vegetable trays that are linked to this outbreak on June 8, 2018. The trays were sold at Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Demond’s, Sentry, Potash, Meehan’s, Country Market, FoodMax Supermarket, and Peapod stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin and have the "Best If Enjoyed By" date of June 17, 2018 or … [Read more...]

The Del Monte cyclospora outbreak has now sickened 237 people in just four states, according to the FDA. Those patients live in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Seven patients have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. The two cases from Michigan reportedly bought the vegetable tray in Wisconsin.
Lawsuits have been filed in this outbreak, on behalf of people sickened after buying a Del Monte vegetable tray from several retail outlets. They were sold mostly in Kwik Trip/Kwik Star locations in Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. These trays were recalled in June 2018, and include 6 ounce, 12 ounce, and 28 ounce sizes that contain broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, and dill dip.
These vegetable trays were sold in Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, … [Read more...]

Attorneys at the law firm of Pritzker Hageman have filed the first Iowa McDonald's cyclospora lawsuit on behalf of a client who was sickened after he ate at one of the fast food chain's restaurants at 1220 Jeffreys Drive in Osceola, Iowa in late June, 2018. The law firm has also filed a complaint on behalf of a woman in Illinois who was sickened in the same outbreak. There is a large ongoing multistate cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads.
Cyclospora attorneys Brendan Flaherty and Ryan Osterholm filed the complaint. The McDonald's cyclospora lawsuit was filed in Iowa on July 18, 2018 in the Iowa District Court in Clarke County.
Food safety lawyer Ryan Osterholm said, "Our client has been ill and is suffering through no fault of his own. McDonald's and other restaurants … [Read more...]

The McDonald's cyclospora outbreak that is linked to that chain's salads has grown to include 163 sick, according to the FDA. That is an increase of more than 100 patients in the last five days. Those sickened live in 10 states, an increase of three states since July 15, 2018. Three people have been hospitalized. All of these cases are lab-confirmed.
The FDA is working with McDonald's to try to identify the common ingredient in the salad that is potentially contaminated. Patients report eating a variety of McDonald's salads before they got sick.
As of July 13, 2018, McDonald's has stopped selling salads at restaurants in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, North Dakota, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Missouri. The company … [Read more...]